


The Wisp Sings

by desrouleaux



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Awkwardness, Canon-Typical Violence, Courting Rituals, Dwarf Courting, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, First Love, Love Triangles, Love at First Sight, Multi, Reader is a Virgin!, Slight!Baggingshield, Slow Build, Soulmates, Strangers to Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:27:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28201590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desrouleaux/pseuds/desrouleaux
Summary: You're a misfit, self proclaimed loner; always have been and always will be - probably. Your powers are unique, scary at times. Scary to those who don't want to understand. You're no wizard nor witch; you don't know what you are or where you're from. Lonliness is what you know, though over the years you have conviced yourself it is just independence.
Relationships: Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield, Fíli (Tolkien)/Reader, Fíli (Tolkien)/You
Comments: 17
Kudos: 59





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> In this story the main protagonist (YOU), has powers similar to the Avatar (yes, I mean the kids' show, sorry... Avatar - The Last Airbender). This is not a crossover, I just want to explain your "powers" :) So, you can bend the elements (Air, Fire, Water/Ice and Earth), but there are certain twists to this. More about that as the story continues!
> 
> Hope you will enjoy ♥

You only realize where your feet have taken you, when you have passed deep into the land of the Shire. You know you have been here before, some years ago during your first aimless voyage through Middle Earth.

Though this time you didn’t notice where you were going until now. You come to a halt under a big-rooted tree next to the street and decide to take a break on this pleasant Summer day.

You decide to settle down between two roots, perfectly shaped for you to sit between, and you take off your old leather backpack to prepare a quick lunch of bread, cheese and dried salted meat.

The Shire has always been one of the few places you have felt at peace the most; the residents in this area, Hobbits, were usually friendly and left you alone when you pass through, although some would shoot you suspicious or curious glances from time to time.

You never mind it though, have you encountered worse in the past…

* * *

The smoke from your pipe fills your nostrils as it rises in the air and with a slight twitch of your fingers you make it curl around your knuckles like a rope, playing with it for a moment before you let it disappear into nothingness.

The day has progressed without you leaving your cozy spot under the Chestnut tree and as you look up at the sky you see that dusk will be upon the Shire soon.

“I have been looking for you all day, dear friend, and here you are finally”

The sudden chesty voice close by startles you, more so as you realize it is directed at you.

You sit up straight and look over to the street where a tall figure is standing, facing you with his one hand stemmed into his hips, the other holding a wooden staff. You have never seen this old man before.

“I doubt you are talking to me for I don’t think we have met before”, you answer calmly as you start packing your things without breaking eye contact. “if I have mistakenly crossed your property, I do apologize, I did not mean to.”

The man gives a hearty chuckle before he takes a cautious step forward. “Don’t worry, dear, that is not why I have tried to seek you out for a while now”

You stow your pipe away carefully, now ready to defend yourself if you must.

“– my name is Gandalf the Grey, though many know me as _Mithrandir_ , and I happen to be a wizard if you are wondering.”

Wizard? Now that makes you freeze.

“A – a wizard you say?”

Gandalf smiles at your reaction, your sudden change of demeanor and he dares to come closer. He nods and chuckles once again. “That I am indeed”

You stand up, not to leave, but to get a better view of this stranger. As you look him over you notice that he does look like one – with his grey robes and pointy hat. There is this aura around him, wise and ancient.

“Then what can I possibly help you with, _Mithrandir_?”

Gandalf leans on his staff, holding it with both hands now as he thinks for a moment. “Would you care to tell me your real name? I have only heard the nicknames people have given you on your journeys”

Nicknames? A frown ghosts over you face for a split second before you compose yourself again. “I am (Y/N), I don’t know any of those nicknames, I’m afraid”

His little smirk does not go unnoticed by you and it makes you even more curious.

“(Y/N), very well, it is a pleasure to finally meet you, dear. As for why I have been looking for you, I am in need of a skilled fighter to become part of a company going on a quest. I thought your powers would be quite useful for this.”

Company? A quest? How bizarre.

“What kind of quest? And what sort of company?”

Gandalf ignores your questions and chooses more mystery instead. “There will be a meeting this evening and you are welcome to join” He turns to leave but stops again. “in fact, I think you very well should join, (Y/N). It would be good for you.”

* * *

After a vague given direction by Gandalf, the wizard disappears down the road, leaving you alone with your thoughts once again.

You are supposed to find Bag End, one of the many Hobbit-holes in an area called Hobbiton, and you’re not all too familiar with your surroundings. You have never needed a specific direction before.

But that is not of importance since you decide to not join the meeting like the strange wizard had suggested. You know you are not fit to become part of a company of strangers, going on a quest. There is no doubt that you trust in your powers and the skill to defend yourself, fight enemies even, but you are all too aware that you lack the social skills for that matter.

So, instead of going the direction Gandalf had told you, you strap on your backpack and walk deeper into the forest instead. Away from any possible opportunity.


	2. The Pursuit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As you try and get far away from the Wizard and his strange company, someone or rather something appears to you at night, luring you to your fate.

You decide to keep marching through the woods long after the sun has set over the land, just to be sure. You do not fancy meeting the wizard again, even though the possibility of attending the meeting nags at the back of your mind every now and then.

He is a wizard after all, and wizards know…things. Things that you have wanted an answer for, for the longest time. Your whole life actually.

But no, you cannot give in to your curiosity. You have managed to live your life somewhat peacefully, somewhat…happy. Why risk any trouble now?

You have not paid much attention to where you are going once again, and even though you have learned to march through unknown terrain at night, you find yourself stopping as something catches your attention out of the corner of your eyes.

There it is, that strange light you have seen before. Glowing a magical blue, hovering over the ground as it flickers in the dark – taunting you. A Wisp.

Your eyes are glued to the flame looking orb, and again it is calling out to you. A thin voice sighing, high-pitched yet pleasant. But you know it will only disappear as soon as you try to come closer, then appear in another spot, calling out once more for you to follow.

And it is then you remember how the lights have guided you to the Shire, they are the reason you’re here now. You shake your head at the realization, feeling betrayal.

“I won’t trust you anymore”, you mutter under your breath, turning to walk past the Wisp, but it’s glowing grows more intense as you try to turn away. Its flicker now aggressive almost.

“What?”, you hiss into the dark. “I cannot follow you there”, your voice is filled with frustration and…fear as you try to reason with it. “you know I cannot.”

The lights twitch and grow brighter as it tries to change your mind. It calls out to you, more frantic now and you feel it tug at your very soul as it draws you in.

“I cannot join that company, I will not go on that quest”, you say as your feet seem to move against your will.

As expected, the Wisp disappears as you come closer, reaching out to touch just once. It appears again a few feet away, and the circle repeats itself until it has drawn you out of the forest, back onto the streets.

* * *

You take a cautious look around, you’re not just on any road. Something tells you the Wisps have brought you to Hobbiton, the place you have tried to avoid.

“Now what?”, you hiss as you are now facing several Hobbit-holes along the street lit up with lanterns. It seems they have disappeared for good before you spot one more at the far end of the street. Your feet carry you there, now quicker than before, but you come to a halt as you hear the noise.

The light now flickers just lightly, almost soothingly, urging you to open the gate to the front yard of the Hobbit-hole, climb the steps to the green ground door.

You look back at the Wisp, shaking your head slowly, and you hope for…another sign maybe? But the Wisp disappears into thin air with one last sigh.

You hesitate, but approach the gate eventually, albeit cautious. There is music coming from inside, several voices singing…about Bilbo Baggins, and what he hates. Why would you want to be part of that?

As you survey the front door, you see a rune carved into the wooden door, glowing bright and blue in the darkness of the night. That would be your sign, you think, and yet you cannot muster up the courage to knock on the door.

It’s hard to see much, but as you look up through the front windows, you can see figures inside the house. You cannot tell for sure, but they don’t seem to be Hobbits, not at all.

Your ears twitch at the sudden sound of heavy footsteps approaching the house and you decide to not linger any longer. Instead, you rush to hide and disappear into the darkness.

* * *

You wake up to rays of sunshine tickling your nose, and the chirping of birds surrounding you in the trees. After stretching and yawning thoroughly, the events of last night come back to your mind immediately. You are sure you have dreamed about it even.

The small campfire you had built in a haste has died by now, but after piling fresh sticks and twigs in the pit of stones, you light it up with a simple flick of your wrist.

After a quick breakfast, you gather your belongings and erase all traces of your stay. You don’t want to leave anything for Gandalf, the wizard, to pick upon. But then again…

Suddenly, you hear shouting in the distance and your ears perk up as you listen closely.

“Wait! Wait!”

You realize there are people not too far away from where you’re at. Maybe someone is in trouble? That would be a good enough reason to finally leave – going the other way.

There are horses neighing, more than three at least, and you cannot fight the overwhelming curiosity nagging in the back of your mind.

You grab your backpack and decide to take a quick peak through the bushes before you make a run for it.

“I signed it!”

There are ten ponies, at least. Each one carrying a…Dwarf on its back, and then you see him, right in the middle of the whole posse. Gandalf.

Your palms start sweating as you eavesdrop on the whole conversation.

“…welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield.”, an elderly Dwarf with white hair and an equally white beard says.

Baggins? The same Baggins the Dwarves were singing about last night?

There are some cheers and laughs as Bilbo is given, or rather forced, to mount up on a Pony, and then the company starts moving again.

* * *

You are not sure why exactly you start following them along the road, hidden in the thick bushes a few yards away, so they won’t notice you, but you do.

Most times you’re too far away to listen in on the many conversations between the Dwarves, however sometimes you understand some words here and there, depending on who is speaking.

You soon notice that Dwarves are a loud type of folk, often yelling and laughing at each other, but there are some exceptions. Their supposed leader for example, Thorin? He seems more stoic and serious than the rest of the company; most of the time he quietly converses with the old Dwarf in the lead.

You are especially careful not to alert Gandalf, even though you have caught him looking into your exact direction a couple of times now, and every time he did, you held your breath and froze on the spot.

It’s still a mystery to you; why you started following them in the first place. But it just felt…right. You cannot explain it, but it is like you’re being pulled in their direction by an invisible force. Every time you decide to walk the other way, you simply cannot.

So, you stay around quietly, observing, until fatigue and hunger manage to overpower you.

Of course, the company doesn’t stop when you do, they’re on horseback after all, so you decide to catch up in the morning or finally let go and mind your own business again. You ignore the thought in the back of your mind, hoping they will settle camp not too far away from you.

* * *

When nightfall arrives and casts the land in darkness, you have put up a small camp for yourself. You have found a makeshift cave for you to settle in; a big root functioning as a roof as the dirt has been hollowed out, perhaps by an animal some time ago. There are no tracks of boars or wild dogs, so you feel safe.

You don’t build a fire this time, it is not too cold, and you don’t have meat to cook anyways, so you settle for an apple, beef jerky and the rest of the, now stale, bread you still have left.

It’s quiet in this part of the forest, and though you don’t mind the quiet, the comfort of sleep does not overcome you. You toss and turn for a while until you settle to lay on your back on your bedroll, staring at the starry night sky through the treetops.

Suddenly, it appears again, more demanding this time as it floats a few feet over your face, forcing you to squint your eyes at its brightness.

It sighs and sings, flickering dramatically as if its scolding you for not following through with the path it has showed you just last night.

“What do you want now? I am with the company…sort of.”

It turns a deep turquoise, vibrating with frustrated anger as it floats closer to your face. You reach out to touch, capture it with your powers maybe, but it disappears.

You sit up straight and look around, searching for the angry little Wisp spirit in the darkness, but it seems it has disappeared for good.

There’s a sentence, a plea, on the tip of your tongue, but you grind your teeth together, forcing your mouth shut like a prison cell so the words don’t come tumbling out.

_Don’t go, don’t leave me alone again –_

With an angry huff you cave in and gather your things in a hurry, and as you do so, the Wisp reappears between the silhouette of two large trees. It seems like it found its faith in you again.

“All right, fine”, you sigh as you strap on your belongings. “take me to my fate.”

And the Wisp does take you – through the forest, down the road, and the out of the way.

You march for a while, following the spirit and keeping a wary eye on your surroundings as you do so.

Then you freeze as soon as your trained ear catches the sound of a crackling campfire accompanied by various voices, deep in conversation while your nose gets a whiff of the supper they are cooking.

However, the Wisp does not lead you to them right away, which makes you sigh in relief.

“Where are you leading me now?”, you mutter under your breath as it leads you right around the camp. It appears a few yards away from you, turning a light blue as it flickers, now soothingly, as if its saying you have arrived at your destination.

You furrow your brows in question as you look around, palms sweaty and stomach twisting nervously as you approach it. The company does not seem like they noticed –

There’s a sudden rustling of leaves before you find yourself in a chokehold. The air is knocked from your lungs as a strong figure tightens their grip, pulling the hood of your cloak off swiftly.

“Who are you and what are you doing sneaking around our camp at this hour?”

You gasp for air; adrenaline now pumping through your veins as you struggle against his grip in fear. You look around, but the Wisp is gone. Has this all been but a setup for a trap?

“Kili!”

The grip of your attacker loosens for a second, long enough for you to gather your thoughts and grab his arm, lighting the sleeve of his shirt on fire with your flat palms pressed to it.

“Let me go!”, you growl as the fabric finally catches on fire.

He yelps and lets go off you, and you try to make a run for it, only to be stopped by the tip of a blade, pointing at your throat. You can hear the other one struggling to extinguish the flames, rolling around on the ground.

“I will ask again, because it seem you did not hear it when my brother asked you first. Who –“

Now he stops mid-sentence as the Wisp reappears, settling on the middle of the blade. Its light radiates warmth now and illuminates both you and your attacker in its shine.

He locks eyes with you and his angry grimace turns soft in surprise as he sees a female before him. You notice his steel blue eyes; pretty, yet confused and curious as he blinks at you while you try to remember his face from your observation during the day.

He lowers his sword slowly and his brother immediately shouts from behind you, making you flinch.

“Fili! He set me on fire! What are you doing?”

You lift your chin up, swallowing hard, and still shaking. “I didn’t mean any harm”, you say as you try to keep your voice steady and truthful. “I’m just trying to pass by.”

Fili still only manages to look at you as Kili protests, brushing the dirt off his clothes until he sees the spirit, too.

“Mahal, what –“

There is more commotion to your left as the light of torches comes closer through the bushes, various Dwarves marching towards you. You heart starts beating faster as your flight instinct sets in once again.

Your eyes lock with his once more and he sees yours wide open in fear.

The Wisp vanishes into thin air as the rest of the company breaches through the bushes with their weapons raised, and you have the feeling you won’t see it ever again.

“What is all the noise about?”, a booming voice echoes through the night before Thorin Oakenshield eyes are set on you.


	3. An Icy Welcome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You finally join the company, albeit reluctantly, and the welcome is...not too friendly.

“It’s a lass!”, someone in the crowd of Dwarves utters which is followed by various astonished gasps and muttered protests.

“ _Atkât!_ “, Thorin’s voice booms again, making you flinch while the rest of his company is quickly silenced.

Suddenly, both Fili and Kili step to each of your side and get a hold of your cloak. You look at the light-haired Dwarf and his eyes seem apologetic. Then you look back at Thorin who starts pacing in front of you now, hands behind his back as he examines you from head to toe.

“I’ll ask you once, She-Elf, what are you doing here? Why are you sneaking around our camp, attacking my nephews?”

There’s a kind of authority in his deep voice which you have never heard before, it makes you shake more violently under his gaze. However, you raise an eyebrow in confusion at him calling you a She-Elf. You are no Elf.

“I –“

The leaves rustle again as another figure, a tall one, steps out of the darkness into the flickering torch light.

“Ah, I see you have finally found your way to us, my dear! Though I must say you have not chosen the best time to do so –“, Gandalf laughs as he approaches the scenery, a smoking pipe in his one hand. “Fili and Kili, I don’t think you standing guard on poor Miss (Y/N) will be necessary anymore”

“What do you mean by that, Gandalf? Who is this lass?”, the old dwarf asks apprehensively as he takes place next to Thorin, who is still only glaring at you while his nephews step away from your sides.

“Well, it is quite simple, actually, Master Balin. May I introduce to you, the last member of this company!”

More gasps, more protest. An argument breaks out as Gandalf comes to stand next to you now, putting a hand on your shoulder and patting it encouragingly. As you look up at him, he winks at you. Your adrenaline subsides and you calm down a little.

“Gandalf, she cannot be a part of this company! She is a stranger, she does not belong on a quest like this and she –“

“– is no Elf, Thorin. Not quite Human and not quite Elf, none of either to be precise.”

“I am – was a str- stranger, too.”, a quiet voice speaks up, and you realize it is the Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, squished in and drowned out by the Dwarves. You didn’t even notice him before at all.

“May I suggest to further discuss her stay in the morning? I am sure we are all exhausted from a day of traveling on horseback while this young lady had to walk to keep up.”

At this, your heart stops for a beat. So, you did not go unnoticed after all. Great, and now that Gandalf said it, you do feel sort of woozy from the lack of rest and water. There is no strength left in you to even protest being part of the company now.

Thorin’s jaw clenches and unclenches as he now glares at both you and the Wizard.

“Fine! Dwalin, Nori, you take over watch now…and keep a close eye on our newest _member_.”, he practically spits out before he marches back to camp, followed by the rest of his posse, including Fili and Kili who both sneak one last curious glance at you before following their leader, their uncle.

Only Bilbo stays behind, now standing lonely before you with a nervous smile on his thin lips.

“And I thought my Welcome was bad”, he snickers awkwardly, pointing his thumb back over his shoulder at the company who left while Gandalf puffs out smoke from his pipe, smiling to himself.

* * *

Bilbo offers you to place your bedroll next to his, and after a quick look around you realize that there is no other empty space available anyway, so you accept.

The Hobbit goes easy on you and doesn’t try to strike up an unnecessary conversation with you which you’re thankful for. You can feel more than one pair of eyes looking daggers at your back as you unroll your bedroll and swiftly hiding under your blanket, facing away from everyone.

You’re uncomfortable, more than ever, but thankfully you manage to drift into a dreamless sleep as fatigue overcomes you under the watchful eyes of Dwarves.

* * *

“Miss (Y/N)…Miss (Y/N)”

Your ear tickles and twitches as someone whispers in it, you hear your name being called in your subconsciousness as you slowly stir awake, and in your haze the faces of Thorin’s nephews flash before your inner eye, calling out your name. Suddenly, they shove your shoulders, and you realize that someone is truly shaking you.

You jerk awake with a gasp, almost headbutting the Hobbit hovering over you as you sit up straight, but shoving him away instead with a sharp gust of wind. He gets knocked on his bottom and stares at you in shock, stuttering under his breath.

“I – I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you!”

You clasp a hand over your mouth as you catch your breath. “I’m sorry!”, you say, but your apology is muffled by your hand.

“I don’t want to be blunt, but” Bilbo starts as he scrambles back onto his feet, brushing the dirt of his trouser before looking back at you for an answer. “what was that you just did?”

You glance around, choosing to not give an answer to the Hobbit, and you see that everyone has already packed up as dawn peeks and greets you over the treetops.

“I suggest you both start packing up swiftly! I doubt the company would want to wait on you two!”, Gandalf scolds in a hushed voice as he stomps towards you.

You look back at Bilbo and shake you head pleadingly, hoping he gets the hint. Bilbo gazes back and forth between you and the Wizard and nods sharply, earning you a puzzled look from Gandalf.

“I mean it, get ready now, we are moving out and we have a long road ahead of us today!”

Then the Wizard leaves you be, and you quickly begin to clean up your bedroll and shove you blanket into your old backpack while Bilbo is watching you curiously.

“Don’t you have to pack?”, you mumble, not daring to look up as you fear more questions.

“I packed up already while you were still sleeping, I woke you up so you wouldn’t be late”

You take a swing from your canteen, savoring the water in your dry mouth before swallowing. “Thank you, that was…kind of you, but unnecessary, I will not accompany you on this quest.”

“But Gandalf said –“

“I’m afraid I don’t care what the Wizard told you, I’m obviously not welcome here”, you cut Bilbo off sharply and as you mutter your last words, you catch Thorin’s saturnine look towards you from across the camp.

You feel bad for snapping at the Hobbit like that since he has been nothing but welcoming and friendly to you, but that cannot keep you from leaving right here and now.

Just as you strap on your backpack, both Fili and Kili come to stand in your way.

“Ready to go? We prepared Monte for you to ride on, so you don’t have to walk again today”, Kili tells you with a mischievous smile.

“Monte?”, you repeat, still perplexed by their nonchalant attitudes towards you, considering what had happened between you just hours ago.

“One of the pack ponies. We split the loads so you can ride on him from now on.”, Fili explains.

You’re dumbfounded, speechless as you merely stare into Fili’s steel blue eyes. Now that you see him in morning light, you notice that his hair is golden, just like his braided moustache, and you cannot help yourself but perceive him as handsome while his younger brother only manages to be but a boyish kind of pretty next to Fili.

“Perfect!”, Bilbo chimes in, nudging you slyly as he stands next to you. “That is very much appreciated, thank you.”

“Fili! Kili!”, the broad-shouldered, heavily tattooed Dwarf calls for them gruffly and with simultaneous quick bows, the brothers excuse themselves.

“Well…that was awkward. You don’t happen to be very talkative, do you? Or sociable for that matter?”

You blink a few times, having stared after the young Dwarves for too long, and turn towards the Hobbit.

“Is it that obvious?”, you retort, knitting your brows together while Bilbo snickers at you.

* * *

Somehow you got convinced to stay and tag along, if only for a while you try to keep telling yourself.

Now you’re trotting a few feet behind the company by yourself, on the back of your new companion – Monte.

The ponies seem to be a special breed since they are sturdier, and their fur is thicker and fuzzy. It seems like Monte, the former pack pony, is pleased with his new important mission to carry you around, and you bonded with him easily after offering him a sugar cube from your supplies. His fur is soft, grey, and dappled with white spots, his mane and tail both a dark bluish grey.

Although you have found an ally in Bilbo the reserved Hobbit, and Gandalf, whom you still don’t fully trust, most of the Dwarves still ignore you. You don’t know if you mind it much though, is it still better than the hostile tension between you and the Dwarrow King.

More than once you have caught him and his closest companions, namely Balin and the tattooed Dwarf, glancing back at you; perhaps checking if you’re still there or if you’re going to attack. You’re not sure.

You watch as Gandalf slows down his horse and parts with Bilbo, dropping back until Monte catches up to him.

“I see you’ve chosen to stay”, he starts and you’re sure he sounds pleased. “I feared you wouldn’t come around after all.”

“I can assure you, this was not my plan, Gandalf”, you scoff back. “if it hadn’t been for…never mind.”

“The Wisps you mean?”, Gandalf fills in the blank, winking at you when you look up at him, brows furrowed.

“How do you know? Did you sent them?”

But the Wizard shakes his head. “No, I did not. No one has control over these forest spirits, they alone chose who they want to help.”

“Help? But I didn’t need any help!”, you hiss as anger bubbles up inside of you. You can feel your palms heat up, flames daring to kindle the reigns you are holding, but you quickly hold them back.

“Yes, you did. You’ve lost your way as soon as you ran away from the orphanage when you were but a child, (Y/N). The spirits helped you find the way to your fate. Or do you think you will find answers to your questions somewhere in nowhere?”

That shuts you up and you can only stare at the Wizard for a moment until his frown softens again with a sigh.

“Trust me, dear (Y/N), where we are heading you will find your answers. There are people who can tell you who you are, where you come from…, and what you’re meant to be.”


	4. A Night of Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As days go by, the company decides to spend one last time in comfort, and while you only know the comfort of sleeping under the stars, you enjoy the momentary change.

Three days pass, you still find yourself tagging along with the company of Thorin Oakenshield, and you are still not entirely sure why you decided to stay.

At least some members of the company have managed to warm up to you a little; including Bofur, Bombur, Ori, Oin, and Gloin. You’ve found out that most of the Dwarrows happen to be pairs of brothers, like Kili and Fili. Though Bifur doesn’t seem to mind you much just like his brothers, you two cannot communicate with each other, whereas both Dori and Nori have scolded their little brother, Ori, multiple times now for talking to you.

You don’t mind it though, have you found a companion in Bilbo, the Hobbit. After four days of traveling together, he somehow managed to coax you out of your shell, even just a little. He does most of the talking, are you still not too comfortable talking about yourself much, but Bilbo does not seem to mind at all. Instead, he tells you everything about The Shire, Hobbiton, the many families living there, the culture and traditions of Hobbits, and his home, Bag End, of course.

And then there are the King’s nephews, Fili and Kili. Strong and smart yet mischievous and callow next to their seasoned uncle. You’re still flabbergasted whenever they try to strike up a conversation with you, even more so when Kili winks at you or compliments your appearance. You remember the day he told you, you have pretty eyes and it still makes you blush like mad for reasons unknown to you. Why would he even say such things to you?

 _“Because he’s flirting with you, (Y/N)”_ , Bilbo answered you when you had spoken your thoughts aloud by accident.

Flirting? That explanation didn’t help was that word not part of your vocabulary until then. Though it was quite amusing to see how Bilbo continued to get more flustered by each question you asked after that. Of course, you know where babes come from, even though each race in Middle Earth is different when it comes to pregnancy and such but seeing the Hobbit’s cheeks turn a crimson red and excusing himself with a high-pitched hem, made playing dumb quite worth it.

You’re riding in silence next to Bilbo and Gandalf when you see walls and a wooden gate in the distance, and you’re certain you have been here before.

“Are we staying in Bree for the night?”, Bilbo asks, beating you to a punch.

“I guess it would be good to stock up on supplies here before we travel further down the Greenway”, you add and look at the Wizard, waiting for an answer.

Riding ahead of the company, the Dwarrow King seems to think alike.

“I do agree, (Y/N)”, Gandalf says before catching up to Thorin.

“I’d sure be nice to sleep in a bed one last time. Enjoy some comfort in front of a firepit instead of sleeping on the ground tonight.”

“It’s been…a while since I’ve slept in a real bed”, you confess to the Hobbit, who then looks at you curiously. Out of the corner of your eye, you see that he wants to ask how long.

“A couple of years, I think, in case you’re wondering. I guess I never really had the money to stay at an Inn.”, you tell him with a shrug of your shoulders.

* * *

Thorin agrees to Gandalf’s suggestion and so you follow the company into the town of Bree. Luckily, the streets are not too crowded, and you quickly approach the town’s biggest Inn, _The Prancing Pony_.

However, while everyone mounts off at the nearby stable, grabbing their stuff to stay the night, you hesitate as you take the small leather pouch out of your backpack. You jiggle it in your palm and the few coins inside clink together.

“Miss, I promise I’ll take good care of this fellow!”, the stableboy, a young-looking Hobbit with dark curls, tells you as he reaches for Monte’s reigns.

“Uh, I bet you would, but…”

Suddenly, a heavy hand lays on your shoulder, gaining you attention.

“There’s no need to worry about any finances now, (Y/N). It has already been taken care of.”, Gandalf assures you with a wink.

You smile at him, an honest smile, but your heart feels heavy. No one has ever taken care of you like that, ever, and you don’t know how to feel about it. You’re grateful, of course, very much so but there’s some kind of guiltiness that makes your stomach drop as you walk back to the Inn next to Gandalf.

“Don’t dwell on it, (Y/N), you can pay me back after you have helped Thorin reclaim the Erebor”, Gandalf tells you as he has sensed your distress.

“I wouldn’t know how”

“How to help or how to pay me back? You must be more specific here”, he chuckles.

“Both…I guess”, you answer with a shrug.

“Well, as for the payback, you’ll be granted a payment after a successful mission of course. It was all stated in the contract.”

“Contract?” You raise an eyebrow. “I have never signed a contract”

Gandalf stops in his tracks. “You haven’t?”

You shake your head slowly. You have never even seen a contract in your life before. For what anyway?

“Well then, I need to have a word with Master Balin”, Gandalf says and continues walking.

While you let the Wizard get ahead of you in a few long strides, you fall back, choosing a more peaceful pace as you walk down the street.

There are houses lined up on each side of the road, many signs read the name of a merchant stall and there is another stable not too far away. It feels strange to you, walking on a town’s road in broad daylight, but you decide that it does not feel bad. In fact, it happens to be a nice change, not having or feeling the need to hide away.

“Have you been here before?”

The sudden voice seemingly out of nowhere startles you, deep and strident.

“Just once, I – I think”, you answer, blindsided by the fact that Thorin even considers talking to you.

“Hm” He acknowledges your answer with a single grunt. “Don’t get too comfortable, we won’t be staying long”

You give an affirmative nod before Thorin walks along, leaving you behind, wondering if the Dwarrow King is finally accepting you as a member of this company.

* * *

You lock the door behind you before you take in your new surroundings. It’s a lush bedroom, nothing you have ever experienced living in. There’s a big window facing the street across from your door with a fancy wooden chair next to it.

Next to the window is a fireplace, not as big as the one in the main room downstairs, still big enough to keep the room nicely lit and warm.

As your eyes land on the spacious featherbed, you cannot help yourself but leap onto the soft mattress with a few quick steps. The sheets are white and soft, the pillows more than inviting to bury your face in them. However, you soon notice the stark contrast between your dirty fingernails and the freshly washed linen.

Of course, you don’t want to soil anything with your dirtiness, so you ponder if you should ask the house maid for a bath until you notice the water basin on top of the chest of drawers next to the bed.

You get up from the comfortable cushions, albeit reluctantly, and drag yourself over to the basin. It’s only now you realize how sore and tired you are from riding all day. However, as you roll up your sleeves, you notice how dirty your clothes have gotten, too.

There is no avoiding both washing your clothes as well as yourself now.

With a heavy sigh you go to unlock your door before peeking out on the hallway. You can hear the rest of the company both downstairs and in the nearby rooms, and as chance would have it, the redheaded house maid rushes past your door with her arms full of pillows.

“Uh…excuse me? Miss?”

She stops dead in her tracks, turning towards you without being able to look over the mountain of pillows.

“Yes, dear? Sorry, I’ll be right back, these Dwarves are driving me crazy!”, she whispers the last part and rushes to the room at the end of the hallway.

Just as you turn to go back inside your own room, the maid reappears, looking as stressed as before.

“I’m sorry, dear, how can I help you now?”, she asks, and her earthy-brown eyes sparkle with friendliness.

Now you merely scratch the back of your neck awkwardly, uneasy to ask for assistance since she seems so busy already.

“Well…” You clear your throat, fumbling with the hem of your thigh-long green tunic. “I was wondering if, uh, if I could _maybe_ take a – a bath around here…somewhere?”

Her eyes widen as she smiles at you, grasping your hand with hers already while you let her pull you along.

“Yes of course! Your clothes could need a wash, too, if you don’t mind!”

She tells you how the rest of the company have already given her a load of laundry to wash until the next morning and how your small pile wouldn’t make a difference now anyway. You try to thank her, but she just keeps talking, and you wonder how she manages to breathe like that.

“Now, just strip down, there’s hot water in the tub and some soaps on the side table, and I’ll take your clothes”

“But…how am I supposed to get back to my room without my clothes?”

“Oh, you didn’t bring spare clothes with you?”

You shake your head. Of course, you have extra clothes, but you left them in your room!

“Hm” She taps her slim fingers on her chin while looking around the room. “Aha!” Then she opens the top drawer of the single dresser and pulls out a thick dark brown tunic. “These are clothes guests have left here and never picked up. I guess whoever this belonged to won’t need it anymore, dear.”

She hands you the tunic but keeps her hand outstretched after you take it. “Your clothes now, please.”

You clear your throat awkwardly and begin undressing. She rolls her eyes and turns around at once, giving you just a little bit more privacy.

You swiftly kick your boots off before taking off your trousers, tunic, and undergarments.

* * *

After the house maid, you forgot to ask for her name during all the hubbub, takes your clothes, you do not waste time, locking the door and checking it twice before sinking into the steaming hot bathwater.

You sigh contentedly, enjoying the feeling of your muscles finally relaxing for the first time in days. Your mind wanders as you play with the water, albeit not as skilled as you are with fire or air. Water is trickier for you to handle, and you don’t know why that is. You can bend it a little, forcing it to separate, create waves or simply control a stream of water to fill up your canteen, but there is no going beyond that. And after a while of trying, you have simply given up training your waterbending skills some time ago.

A knock on the door startles you and as you loose control of the bubble of water barely hovering over your palm, it splashes back into the tub.

“(Y/N)? Are you alright?”

You relax as soon as you hear Bilbo’s voice.

“Yes, Bilbo. What is it?”

There is some noise in front of the bathroom door, hushed voices whispering to each other before Bilbo continues.

“We – uh, I just wanted to inform you that supper is ready and we – I, uh, wonder if you want me to safe you some?”

“Yes please!”, you yell for an answer, smiling to yourself as you can clearly hear both Fili and Kili’s voices now, talking over one another.

“How about you ask her yourself?”, Bilbo suddenly hisses sourly and gets shushed instantly. 

* * *

After scrubbing every inch of your body with lavender soap, you dry yourself off with a fluffy towel, and leave your hair to airdry before slipping on the oversized tunic the house maid had given you.

It’s loose and goes past your knees and you're thankful for that in this moment. At least now you can sneak back to your room without being fully exposed.

Steam leaks out of the bathroom as soon as you open the door, and you wonder how long you have been in there.

The Inn is quiet now, aside from some muttered conversations you cannot hear well as you sneak upstairs, down the hallway to your room.

As you approach your door, it opens suddenly, making you change into a somewhat defensive stance. But you quickly cross your arms in front of your chest awkwardly as Fili comes to a stand in front of you, eyes wide as if he has been caught.

“(Y/N)…”

“Fili?”

He points his thumb over his shoulder back into your room. “I – I just put a tray of supper in your room”, he confesses, nearly stumbling over his word. “My uncle sent me, he wanted to make sure that you get to eat some”

You furrow your brows at that statement. “Your…uncle said that?”

Fili sighs with a sheepish smile. “Well, maybe he didn’t...but I wanted to make sure”

Suddenly, your heart flutters while a foreign feeling of warmth spreads through your whole body, from your head down to the tips of your toes. It’s dizzying.

“That’s – so…mindful of you, Fili. Thank you”, you say and clear your dry throat. There is an intense silence between you, and you catch him looking you over curiously. It must be the first time he sees you clean and with your hair down like that.

“I – we should head to bed soon if we want to get back on the road early tomorrow.”

Fili snaps back to reality, scratching his beard to hide his bashfulness while he nods in agreement.

“Yes, you’re probably right”, he says and bows down slightly. “Goodnight, (Y/N), and sleep well.”

Then he swiftly passes you before you can say anything in return. You look back as he disappears into the room he shares with his brother.

“Goodnight…Fili.”


	5. Talks at Midnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two weeks have passed since Bree, and things are changing between you and some members of the company.

As you put down your backpack to prepare your bedroll for the night, you remember the comfort of your bed back in Bree.

“I cannot believe it’s been two weeks already”, you mumble, more to yourself than the Hobbit a few feet away from you. But Bilbo scoffs anyway as he struggles to smooth out his blanket.

“Only two weeks? Feels like months!”, he complains, and you don’t even hide your smirk at his whininess.

“It does…”

And it really does sometimes, until you realize again and again how unbothered you have become in only two weeks. Unbothered by the company, unbothered by not being alone all the time.

“(Y/N)? We could use your help here, lass!”, Bofur calls over at you while sitting by the unlit firepit with Bombur.

The night you have offered to help the Dwarves light a fire using your powers after leaving Bree, they have continued asking for your help since. It was you taking the initiative, albeit cautiously, to finally strengthen your relationship with the rest of the company. They have tried multiple times to get to know you better after all, it was time for you to embrace it eventually.

“Seems like the firewood has gotten damp”, Bofur explains, clicking his tongue as he examines the logs. “We figured if someone could still light it it’s you.”

A flustered smile tugs at your lips as you roll your sleeves up. You’re still not used to these kinds of compliments.

You kneel, grabbing one of the smaller logs and Bofur is right, they are sort of damp. “Hm, I’m afraid, your trust in my abilities might be misplaced this time, Bofur”, you say as you focus on the heat radiating to your palms.

The wood smolders for a moment before it eventually catches fire in your hands; as you put it back into the fire pit along with tinder, the rest of the logs slowly catch on.

You rub your hands together as you get up again, and it is only then you notice the circle that has formed around you. Almost all the Dwarves have watched your display of fire bending with wonder and awe, even the Dwarrow King himself.

* * *

A brown owl hoots somewhere in the distance while you stare at the starry night sky. You wonder if it has caught a mouse or maybe a hare while you lie wide awake. While your body is exhausted and craves sleep, your mind will not go quiet.

The company of snoring Dwarves scattered around camp does not help either; both Bilbo and you have complained about it to each other many times before. However, as you look over at the Hobbit you see he is dead asleep, curled up under his blanket and snoring softly himself. Rolling your eyes, you decide you might as well just go for a stroll around.

You make sure not to trip and fall into the campfire while you tiptoe around sleeping figures, and when you finally reach the edge of the camp, you take a deep breath of crispy night air before wandering into the darkness of the surrounding forest.

Unfortunately, your disappearance does not go unnoticed for long as a sudden hushed voice makes you freeze on the spot.

“So, you decide to just leave us without even saying goodbye?”

Your heart starts beating a tad bit faster as you recognize the Dwarrow prince’s voice.

“I – I’m not planning on leaving”, you answer a little too loud and quickly switch to a whisper. “I just can’t sleep”

Fili appears out of the darkness, into your sight as the moonlight illuminates him as well. He looks handsome, you think, yet tired as he approaches you.

“Well even if that’s a piece of good news, I am truly sorry about your wakefulness, * _atamanel_ ”

A strange shiver runs down your spine when he changes to his native tongue and you wonder what he said, but the small smile playing on his lips only deepens your fluster. Instead of asking, you clear your throat awkwardly.

“W-why are you awake?”

“I’m on watch duty with Kili, but I sent him to bed an hour ago”, he answers as he comes to stand next to you, keeping a watchful eye.

“You don’t look too awake yourself”, you retort, and he snorts, stifling a yawn which only supports your statement.

“I guess you’re right”, Fili chuckles. “but at least I have some good company now, and I think Bifur and Nori will soon take over.”

He thinks of you as good company? Suddenly the dirt beneath your feet looks immensely interesting as you stare down at it to hide the blush on your cheeks.

“Can I ask you something?”

Now that makes you focus your attention back on his face, and you wait for him to continue with a slight nod.

“I – uh, you must not answer if you don’t want to of course –“

You nod again, shoving your balled-up hands into the pockets of your jacket as they start to get clammy, but removing them again nervously.

“How does your magic work? And what else can you do with it? Kili and I have been wondering about that for a while now”

You swallow hard as your jaw tenses up. Of course, they have, you think, and even though talking about yourself is not your favorite, you still feel the need to talk to the Dwarrow prince.

“I wouldn’t call it magic”, you start, clearing your throat once more. “but I understand why people would see it as such. I can bend the elements – water, fire, air, and earth, though I haven’t truly…uh, tried to further improve my abilities for a while now.”

“Why not?”

You sigh, and Fili catches on to the sudden gloomy look on your face.

“I apologize for making you upset, (Y/N), I didn’t mean to overstep any boundaries”, he speaks under his breath while he grasps your hand, squeezing it gently. Your eyes meet his, and there lies the same intensity from your first meeting. The first time you had laid gaze upon each other, only this time he doesn’t hold his blade against your throat.

This time though you touch for the first time, and your head starts spinning. You look down at your hands, his large hand and sturdy fingers engulfing your hand with ease, making it look petite in comparison.

He notices and misjudges your reaction, letting go swiftly. Your eyes meet again, and he looks apologetic.

“Your hands are cold”, he says, matter of factly. “perhaps you should go back and warm up by the fire.”

“You – “, you begin, but close your mouth again. There are too many thoughts in your head, too many unknown feelings in this moment to form a coherent sentence, so you nod instead, agreeing with him.

“Well, goodnight then, Fili.”, you say before turning on your heels, walking back towards camp. However, as you walk away in the still of the night, you can hear him whisper in return.

“Goodnight… _atamanel_.”

* * *

You yawn loudly, barely keeping your eyes open as you let Monte simply follow the rest of the ponies while you nearly doze off.

“(Y/N)!”, Bilbo hisses next to you, riding closer and shaking your shoulder before you tumble off your saddle.

You snap awake and blink at the Hobbit next to you while Monte and Myrtle neigh scoldingly.

“Are you alright? Have you slept at all last night?”

You suppress the next yawn and feel your eyes water as you shake your head. “Not too much honestly”

“How come?”, he asks, his eyes looking at you with worry, and you smile, moved by his concern about you.

But your eyes soon move towards the blonde Dwarrow prince riding just a few feet ahead of you, and Bilbo catches on quickly, mouthing a long “ _Oh_ ”.

“I see”, he says, almost giggling. “– poor Kili.”

You look back at the Hobbit, brows furrowed. “What? What do you mean by that?”

Bilbo shrugs his shoulders before answering. “Well, he is clearly smitten with you, (Y/N). But…I’m not at all surprised that you didn’t notice.”

“Ha ha”, you scoff, rolling your eyes. It is not the first time Bilbo has teased you for your non-existent socialness.

Though you want to further investigate in what Bilbo meant exactly, your mind wanders again and falls into a daydream to keep you from falling asleep. You think about your conversation with Fili from last night and feel the urge to talk to him again.

Clicking your tongue, you encourage Monte to speed up a little, leaving Bilbo behind without any explanation, until you’re riding next to Fili.

“People are usually scared of my powers, they don’t want to have me around, you know?”

But Fili didn’t notice you at first, so he stares at you blankly as you suddenly pick up on where you had left the conversation from last night.

“You asked me why I stopped improving my abilities last night”, you remind him, blushing now that you realize how you have taken him by surprise. “Remember?”

Some Dwarves who are riding nearby turn around to your unusual burst of talkativeness, including Kili, who’s face drops begrudgingly while his older brother’s face lights up.

“I do remember”, he chuckles. “but now I wonder –“

“Fili!”, Kili interrupts as he yells his name. “A word, brother!”, he says, grinning, as both of you look at the dark-haired Dwarf.

When you look back at Fili, you see that his jaw is tense before he sighs.

“Excuse me, (Y/N)”

* * *

As soon as Thorin calls for a halt to set up camp before the arrival of dusk, you find a spot to put your bedroll in a heartbeat, and you fall asleep while the rest of the company settles down.

The smell of supper fills your nostril as you inhale deeply, stretching thoroughly as you slowly wake from your deep slumber.

“Well, well well, look who is finally waking up from the dead! You had us all worried, (Y/N)”

You rub your blurry eyes before Kili’s mischievous grin comes into full vision, hovering above you at a respectful distance.

“Here, I brought you some stew”, he says and practically shoves the wooden bowl into your hands as soon as you sit up. Your stomach growls immediately.

“Uh, thanks a lot, Kili”, you answer drowsily, your voice still thick with sleep. “but you didn’t have to do that.”

“I know” He shrugs. “but I am just that nice, you know? I cannot help it sometimes”, he tells you with a deep sigh, looking off into the distance dramatically.

You snicker at his silliness as you take the steaming bowl, and his fingertips brush your knuckles intentionally; you know it was intentional after he gives you a wink.

“What do you say, uh, about taking a – a walk with me after you’re done?”

And you nearly choke on a mouthful of food at his sudden suggestion. It is as the whole camp has suddenly gotten quiet, eavesdropping on your conversation, and you look past Kili at Bilbo, imploringly.

You look back at Kili, into his dark, chestnut-colored puppy eyes, and you’re at a loss for words.

“I, uh –“

“What did she say now?”, Oin asks aloud, his hearing aid pressed into his right ear as he looks at his fellows for an answer.

“The lass said ‘ _aye’!_ ”, Gloin answers, albeit wrongfully, and your heart stops for a second. You turn to look at the redheaded Dwarf, eyes wide, and realize that almost everyone is staring at you two. Bofur smirks, Gandalf looks disappointed whereas Dwalin shakes his head in disapproval, and Fili…

Fili averts his eyes quickly, resuming to poke around in his own bowl before putting it down and leaving his seat.

“Kili, you’re on first watch tonight!”, Thorin announces as he approaches you, giving you a moment to catch your breath as Kili gets up from his crouched position.

“Aye” He nods his head before looking back at you. “what about (Y/N)? We could give Fili a break if she takes his shift instead”, his nephew suggests.

Thorin looks down on you now, estimating while you shrivel under his heavy gaze, answering after a moment of intense silence.

“Fine.”

* * *

The temperature has dropped as night has fallen over the land, but you don’t know if you’re shivering because of the cold or anxiousness. Perhaps both.

What if Bilbo is right about Kili? You don't know how to handle that! How could you? You did not ever have to deal with any male attention nor advances before. Sure, he is funny and good-looking, but –

“Evening, (Y/N)”

You jerk back as Kili appears seemingly out of nowhere. Where has your good hearing gone? People usually cannot sneak up on you that easily.

“H – hello”, you stutter, forcing yourself to smile politely.

A bemused smile tugs at the corner of his lips as he surveys you with a look you cannot quite place.

“Are you all right? You look a little…tense”

You nod, maybe too enthusiastically. “Sure, and you?”

He rolls his shoulders and stretches his neck side to side with a groan. “Ah, yes, can’t wait to look around for enemies”, he says, cracking his knuckles. “but don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

At that you scoff; you don’t need a guardian. Never have after all. However, you bite your tongue and keep your comment to yourself. Instead, you start walking along the edge of the camp.

“What? Do you think I can’t protect you?”

Kili follows you close behind, quietly chuckling to himself. You roll your eyes, and you're glad the darkness hides your own smile.

“Or…”, he starts, and you can already hear the mischievous grin in his voice. “or would you rather have my dear brother protect you?”

Your eyes widen and you nearly stumble over a branch on the ground while you struggle to carry it off well.

“So, you fancy my brother, eh? I cannot really blame ya, he’ll be King someday after all”

You stop dead in your tracks which causes Kili to run into you, but you don’t back down as you come face to face with each other. You ignore his smug grin as soon as he notices your crimson cheeks at this distance.

“I don’t care about a future title”, you hiss, and you don’t know why you have gotten that riled up over such a silly remark.

Kili arches an eyebrow, the smug look still on his face, and your noses nearly touch as he leans in closer to whisper in your ear.

“But you _do_ fancy my broher, (Y/N). You just gave yourself away”

And he chuckles lowly while you suck in a sharp breath as he pulls back, winking at you once more before slowly strolling past you with his hands folded behind his back nonchalantly.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep it a secret…for now at least.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *atamanel (Neo-Khuzdul) = endearment meaning; "breath of all breaths"


End file.
